Pea husker



June ll, 1935. c. A. MICHELs 2,004,379

' PEA HUSKER Filed March 19, 1954 2 Sheets-Shee?l 2 AAA AAA Patented Junell, 1935v d il d .l

y UNITED STATES:

`Charles A.Michels', Moscow,."Idahy.assigner.hf4` l 4 one-halfito LrCritsQ'MoscoWyIdaho .d Application March 139,` 1934,2SerialNo..116297` f i.

. 4 h 1:7 Claims.:(C1..-146*32)` d i l .l ,n My present invention relates Vto improvements v TInrtheipreferred form Aoflrny'inventionas illus'- in -pea huskers bymeans of vWhich'thepeas are tratedqin the-drawings Il employ a power-op-V removed -from their `husks Vor protective rseed coveratedi machine f withl aprirnemover of Vsuitable erings and then the peasare split or cracked into type and y`powertransmission mechanism tothe d `5 halves in preparation'forthe market.` Thepeas moving'parts,andthe'machine'may be supported 5 in their husks arefed `to the machineafter they on cross's illsg"laifldl beams 2,-j uponwlich foundahave beenfthreshed or separated-from the 4pods tioniaframeS isprovidedl for the'support' ofthe and "the'vines and lmeans areprovidedwhereby vat or Watertankl' 4'.--Ihe tank is oid-suitable size the peasare-` heated Aalmost orquite to the burstf andlshape 'and provided Withmeans'forsupplying1 1-0y ing lOnt and COIN/'eyed i30`a-bai1 Ofplittingr Waterto-alevelnear its open top. The Water 101 huskin'g rollers, which v"rollers 'complete there*l may have'be'en` previouslyheatedgor the'contents lease ofthes'eedhalves from their'husks. The of the tank maybe "heatedl by steainfrom the husks; chaff and otherundesirable materials are steam pipe '15-1aIidfthefsteam `coil 5\,-thelatrter lo#` then separated `from thegpeas andthe latter are catedatthe bottom fof the tank. SteamYisthus `115 thoroughly dried ofextraneous moisture and`.thus introducedinto the Watertoiraisethe tempera- 1liAv split or cracked into halves :by suitable mecha` tureA of the watento substantially i212 'degreesf-at nismand iinallydischarged intoan appropriate .or nearfthe 'boiling point. Y i l receptacle. l i #Atf the'upper'rear edge ofi thel-tanka discharge AIn thus carrying outmy` invention -I `employ troughv`6 ismountedl throughwhichtroughthe v meanswhereby the peasV are Washed-of `soilthat peaslarepassedfafter theyhave-fpassed tlrroughfiV may cling thereto and, at the same-timafbathed the steamingljhotfwater of'thev vat or'` tank. d

inya chemical solutionand then'A the peas are '.Infthe 'tank isrlocated aconcave breast, or separated from the Ah'usks "'Withoutmarringpr arcuate partitionflof reticulate'd or foraminous bruising andiinally split or cracked into-`ha1ves material which permitsffree iiowor circulation Withxa minimumv of; breakage or crushing. "1 of the' Waterl in the tank,` and the screen orreticu- 2151 Theinvention "consists in certain novel comf latedlportionforms a guide-Waylfor the peas as binations and arrangements ofpartsfor'accomtheyare immersedinthe-steaming hot Water plishingfthe above results, as Willhereinaiter be` and astheypass' through thetanktoward its'dis.` morefully-set forth and claimed. `In the armoniej charge'troughfl. f Y panying drawingsI have illustratedione-"com` 'Ihepeasiareffedtothe elevated feed hopper 3.0`4

pletecxample of the physical embodiment o ffmy 8hwhiehfhas-an outlet chutelsfr,and the latter l invention {wherein the parts'are Acombined and isfprovided-,withaneadjustable\outlet.gate '9 by arranged according to one model havethus far` meansof/Which'thefeedfofv the peastto a rotary h devised yfor the practical application offlthep`rin garrieriisrgontrone w1 l .f r 3`5fciples ofilmyinvention. '-It-Willjbeunderstood-tha# Therotarycarrierinlthefshape of a cylinder, 35 various changes and alterations may-be vmade in revolvesir'on 'itshorizontal axis, Wi-th Vthe lower theexemplifying structure,V Within` the Iscope fof` portion o'f.thercarrier'immersed Pin orsubrnerged my apnerided-claimslwithoutdepartinsfromthe in the` water of the tank, and thisycarrier is principles offmy inventionyf"` T fashioned' 'Freticulated or foraminous material IiFigure `liis avview in side elevation of afhusllg-A to provide open wallslthat ypermitready access of 40:"

ingmachine!exernplifying"thephysical'embodif` thehotwateritothepeas'that are;v contained inY `mentlofrnyinvention,`thee/driving mechanism, thefcarrier.'lz..` n d r l .i Y

and'povvertransmissionniechanism'beingyomit- V @The `rotarycarrier'lis preferably constructed` tedffonconvenience (ai-illustration.)` f or :.builtfnponsspaced spider frames` I-U that-arel 4'5 Figure 2 is',averticallongitudinallsectionlofithe securedfto theflcentralfhubdl l, a'ndfa horizontal 45; d Vmachine 'of Figure 1. A l shaftvlfis n'mun'tedinE ltheicent'rab hub orboss Figure 3 isatop plan `View cf'fthezpairofhusk- Il of :the `spider-si J'I'he'vcarrer shaft iis' `jouring Arollers,..ldetachedjfrom themachineiandllignaledinibearings ilfabove the l`tank, y and the urefl isa top .planviewofr thepair ofirollers formbearings .are mounted in sidefiframes '14 that are 50" I,1g-part-. of `the cracking orisplitting means-Fior xed at opposite sides rofthe tanken thebeams .50* the'peas, p v i I f 2."Thevcarrierfshaftis revlvedat comparavIigure `is adetailfviewpf thef pairofaoscillattivelyfz-lowe speedlbywpoiwer suppliedfrom a `suit'- ing irollersyand: operating means-Which rollers ablelsourceaandltransmissionmechanism is pro'- cooperate with the, rollers ,off/Figureziin'. cracking. vided;from `thisushaft Lto.; other 2 operating parts` orrsplittingthe peas. ottha'machine, asdesired. l

The two spider-frames are provided with inner side rings I5 and outer side rings I5 and annular side walls I6 or screens are attached to these rings and frames, and between the spaced inner rings I5, I5, an annular reticulated wall or screen I3', thus providing an annular carrying space having reticulated side walls and an annular wall I6'. This space is divided into pockets or the peas` are discharged from the chute 8.'are

open at their outer sides, except Yfor a ledge or guard I8 of reticulated material thatrextends transversely of the carrier.

From lthis description it will be apparentthat" the peas are fed successively into the basketsof the carrier, as the latter revolve anti-clockwise in Figure 2, and the contents of the baskets are carried down into the water of the tank, the guard or ledge I8 preventing the peas from falling out of the baskets as theirv open outer sides turn down linto the water of the tank. `As the basket enters ,the water, the peas are permitted Lto fall by gravity toward the open side of the basket and ontothe elevated-concave screen or false bottom 1 in the tank, where the peas are tumbled along the screen-bottom of the following partition I1 as the vcarrier slowly revolves. By the time the peas reach the outlet trough 6 ythey have been subjected to heat from the hot water sufficient to expand the air in the peas to approximately the bursting point of the husk, and as the peas are discharged over the trough 6 they are in condition which permits easy opening of the husks to free the enclosed pea-halves from their husks. In Figure 2 it will be seen that one ,of the baskets of the carrier is in position to discharge its contents to flow freely down the partition I1 to the trough 6, and another empty basket is in position to receive a fresh charge of peas from the hopper'8.

The peas as they are discharged from the carrier roll down the trough to the top of a pair of husking rollers I9 and 20 that extend transversely of the carrier andare located just below the trough. The rollers are preferably fashioned of soft rubber, and their surfaces are corrugated in meshing gears 24 and 25 inorder that the rollers may turn uniformly and with their upper surfaces travelling toward the slight space between the rollers. The shafts are journaledin bearings 26which are mounted in the two spaced frames 21, and an'inclined, reticulated tray or screen 28 is disposed beneath the rollers in position to catch thepeas as they fall between the two husking rollers I9 and 20.

For the' vdisposal .of the opened husks, `chaff, and other undesirable material,v I provide a' suction device that includes a hood 29 locatedabov'e the husking rollers in'positi'on'to lift, by suction,

these undesirable material's,rand al suction4 pipe 30 which extends from the hood, upwardly, conveys this material into a stack V39, from whence the material is properly disposed of.

As the pea-halves are separated from their husks, or seed-coverings, the halves pass down the reticulated transfer chute 28 and fall upon an endless screen-belt or endless conveyer 3 I, with its upper flight moving away from the transfer chute. The endless screen-belt or conveyer is supported upon a pair of spaced rolls 32 and 33 which are mounted on shafts 34 and 35 located Y in planes parallel with the carrier shaft and the husking rollers, and these roll-shafts are journaled lin bearings mounted on the frame 21 and another frame 3B.

The endless screen-conveyer 3| is enclosed within a housing 31, above which is located a large hood 38, and the stack 39 which rises from this hood is provided with a damper 4U to control the upward draft of air from the hood and through the stack.

l.As the peas are delivered from the rotary car` rier to the husking rollers itwill be apparentV that considerable moisture will cling to the exterior of the peas, and I thereforeA provide means,`

in addition to the suction hood 2S and pipe 30, for evaporating the moisture for the purpose of insuring that the peas will be in their natural or normal state and ready for the market when de,-Y livered from the machine. For the evaporation of the ymoisturerll introduce a blast `of hot air through theV nozzle 4I to the interior of the housing 31, and as the halves are conveyed on the upper working flight of the screen conveyerrSI, the moisture that may cling to the peas is evaporated and the vapor passes up through the hood A38 and stack 39, thus freeing the peas of any excess y' housing and extend Vtransversely of thescreen conveyer, and the shafts 45 and 4B of the rollers,

For this purpose I employ a pair of split at their ends, project through the side walls of the housing. Exterior of the housing, one of the shafts as 45 is provided with a driving sprocket,

wheel 41 over which a suitable drive chain passes for revolving the shaft in one direction, and the shaft 46 is revolved in the opposite directionby means of a pair of gears 48 andr49 on the adjoin-,

ing shafts. YThe shaftsV are journaled 'in bearings 50, exterior of the housing, mounted in the framesA 5I, and the splitting rollers are mounted aboveV the screen conveyer with the flexible studs 44 of the rollers outof contact with the top surface of the flexible, screen conveyer upon which the peas are carried. f r

For co-action with the upper pair of splitting rollers I provide a pair of tapping-rollers 52 and' 53, located below' the screen conveyer under the' veyer and the studs u of the splitting :rollers 42 and 43, thereby splitting or cracking the peas into halves. i

These tapping rollers 52- and 53 are mounted in bearings in an oscillatable frame 54, and the latterV is mounted tooscillate or rock on the pivot shaft 55 extending transverselyk throughthe housing and supported at its ends in bracket framesv 5| exterior of the housing.` In `Figure 5y it will be seen that the oscillating frame 54 of the tapping rollersis provided with a rocker arm 54 and this arm is rocked to oscillate the frame'and the rollers 52, 53 from an eccentric shaft 56 `that is revolvedby suitable transmission mechanism from the driving means for the machine.

The shaft 56 is provided with an eccentric disk`5'l that turns in the eccentricl strap 58, and an arm 59 of the strap is pivoted to the rocker arm 54'. Thus it Will be apparent that the frame 54 is oscillated to swing the tapping rollersfalternately, up,

against the underside of the conveyer screen on Which are carried the peas, and the peas, as they pass between the pairs of rollers, are split-,for cracked into halves as described. 1

At one end of the screen conveyor, I provide a discharge hood 60 which is located :inthe housf ing in position toreceive the split peas .as they treatment comparedv with instrumentalities forsimilar purposes now on the market.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:- l l 1. The combination with a housing and an endless reticulated conveyer therein of a pair of` husking rollers at one end of the conveyer, a pair of splitting rollerslocated above and adjacent the other end of said conveyer, a pair of oscillatable tapping-rollers located beneath the Working flight of theconveyer, and means for oscillating said rollers for alternate impact with said Working iiight against said splitting rollers. l

2. In a machine as described, the combination with an endless flexible conveyer forpeas, `of a pair of splitting rollers mounted above the workingv flight of the conveyor, an oscillatable frame below the working flight of the roller, a. pair of tapping-rollers mounted in said frame and adapted for impact against said conveyer, andlmeans for rocking theoscillatable frame. Y

3. In a machine as described, the combination withv `an endless flexible. conveyer, of a pair of splitting rollers mounted above the working flight of the conveyer and a multiplicity of elastic studson the peripheries of said rollers, a pair of tapping rollers beneath said Working flight, osr cillatable means'for supporting the tapping roll'- ers and:` means for vactuating the `oscillatable` means for alternate impact ofthe tappingrollers with said flight beneath the splitting rollers.

4. In a'machine'as'described, the combination with vvmeans wherebypeas are expanded by the "20 presence of hot water, means for .husking the peas, Aanendles's conveyer, and a housing for saidv conveyer, of'n means `for evaporating moisture within the housing; and means for splitting'the i peas intransitY through said housing. y

,5.` In a machine asdescribed, the combination with means whereby peas are, expanded inV the lpresence of hot Water, of a housing, a conveyer moving in said housing, means for feedingv the moistened peas to said conveyer, means co-acting with the conveyer for splitting the peas, and

l means for vintroducing an air blast into the house ing for the purpose `of evaporating excess moisture `from the peas.

6. In a machine'as described, the combination with means whereby peas are rexpanded in the presence of hot water, of a housing, an endless, reticulated conveyer moving in said` housing, means for feeding the moistened peas to said conveyer, means co-acting with the carrying-flight of the conveyer for splitting. the peas, and means for introducing a hot airblast into the housing for the purpose of evaporating excess moisture from the peas.

7. In a machine as described, the combination with a housing, of an endless, reticulated conveyer movingin said'housing, mean`s for feeding peas to the carrying-flight of the conveyer, means co-acting with the` carrying-flight for splitting the peas thereon, and means for circulating air Y l in the housing for the purpose of evaporating excess moisture from the peas.

l CHARLES A. MICHELs. 

